BAKED MAC ‘N’ CHEESE

Macaroni cooked with various cheese are called “mac ‘n’ cheese ” in United States. This simple, easy yet delicious dish is prepared on stove top and also in oven for a baked version.
Macaroni is cooked in cheese sauce with basic seasoning and breadcrumbs. You can even add vegetables. But simple mac ‘n’ cheese is more popular.
So here is creamy, cheesy and delicious pasta with light topping of breadcrumbs, which add nice crunch to the dish.

Preparation time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 30 minutes
Serves: 4 persons

Ingredients:

1 cup elbow macaroni
3 tbsp butter
2 tbsp all purpose flour
2 cups cold milk
1 tsp black pepper powder
1/8 tsp nutmeg powder
1 tbsp oregano
1 cup shredded cheese ( mix )
Salt to taste
1/3 cup breadcrumbs
1 tsp butter
4-5 tbsp shredded cheese ( mix )

Method:

1. Cook the elbow pasta in a large and broad vessel by adding 4-5 cups water, salt and few drops of oil. Add pasta when water starts to boil and cook till they are al dente. Drain them in a colander.
2. Melt one tsp butter , add breadcrumbs to it and mix well and keep aside.

3. Heat the butter in a thick bottom pan on a low flame and simultaneously preheat oven.
4. Once the butter melts and heated properly add all purpose flour and saute till it becomes aromatic and changes to light golden colour. Make sure the flame is slow.

5. Now pour cold milk little by little with one hand and keep stirring with other hand to avoid lumps.

6. Stir continuously till the sauce thickens enough so that it coats the back of a spoon well. Turn off the heat. Our Bechamel sauce/ white sauce is ready.